ID requests

[Psyche]

In any collection in the past there is always several odd specimens which do not fit properly.

1. The underside & upperside suggest a cross between a male berenice & a female calauria.
Only a male berenice can pass on the genes for the white ribbon scales giving it its frosted pale blue colour.

Indian ssp showing upper & underside.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...85%29_male.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/F...%29_female.jpg

Singapore males with confirmed uppersides.
N. berenice.
https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3X4VsrE-6...0/DSC_2769.JPG
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pzK2I4_Ew6...nice-icena.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9/original.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...6104/large.jpg

Singapore male N. calauria.
https://wanderingbutterflyeffect.fil...b3ad98860e.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...7892/large.jpg
Female right.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...enry%20Koh.jpg

I can find no confirmed males of N. berenice with a straight FW band.
Likewise that of N. calauria is almost always straight though a bit of crookedness may be present.
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/81280010.html
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/81260020.html
Below the male from Phetchabun is actually kurava .
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4/81260010.html


FW submarginal spots 4 & 5 are triangular esp females in calauria. HW only submarginal spots 4 & 5 have points.

FW submarginal spots 4 & 5 are chevron, more 'V' shaped in berenice . HW submarginal spot 3 or all the spots may be pointed.
The Biodiversity of Singapore website's N. calauria is almost certainly a male N. berenice.


I will like to show another anomaly.
Federick Ho 2014 Lornie Trail
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2z1tHnAAtb...8male%2529.jpg
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m0mSgms7_-...a+berenice.jpg
The strong dark striae within the bands is indicative of N. berenice, but the innermost costal spot is missing.

In contrast N beroe male have the dark striae near obsolete & the upperside deeper violet blue.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...lt_male_01.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...ixLineBlue.jpg
India.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b68f69-1_1.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...b68f69-2_1.jpg
Added: Singapore male N. beroe.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...3466/large.jpg
https://static.inaturalist.org/photo...210/large.jpeg



2. Nacaduba berenice.
The crooked FW band & the narrow V submarginal spot 4 & 5 are typical.


3. Lassipa tiga.
No L. heliodore have the tongue spot cutting across the cell bar.
in L. tiga FW submarginal spot3 is at least 2X the width of spot 4 in both sexes.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check..._Horace_01.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Khew.jpg

In L. heliodore.
FW submarginal spot 3 is almost as wide as spot 4 in the male , but wider by half in the female.
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3537/...e6a4f2a703.jpg



TL Seow; Cheers.
PS. The identification of butterflies is based on the male.
Thus 1 is considered a male N. berenice.

[LJK1410]

Thank you Dr Seow!

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Someone sent me this Nacaduba for ID and I would like to hear your opinion. I assume its a female since it seems like its ovipositing and there are many eggs. The FW post-discal band is dislocated like N. berenice, but the very large and rounded submarginal spots are are more typical of N. kurava.

WhatsApp Image 2022-07-28 at 7.15.33 PM.jpeg
Photo credits: Jess Loh

[Psyche]

Post 7.

Female Nacaduba berenice icena.
Note broken FW postdiscal band & HW submarginal spot 6 with angular inner margin.


Female N. berenice ;Almost always FW band is dislocated, crooked or broken.
HW submarginal spot 6 with angular margin, not regularly rounded.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...927/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...577/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...835/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...595/large.jpeg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...9525/large.jpg


Female Nacaduba kurava. FW postdiscal band almost always straight & unbroken.
FW upper 4 submarginal spots always rounded.
HW submarginal spot 6 rounded or oval with regular rounded margin.
https://wanderingbutterflyeffect.fil...b787da0005.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check..._female_02.jpg
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...8738/large.jpg
https://static.inaturalist.org/photo...892/large.jpeg
India.
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...Saji_ae302.jpg
https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/si...f038d1-1_1.jpg


TL Seow: Cheers.

[LJK1410]

Thank you Dr Seow

[LJK1410]

Hi Dr Seow,

Here are a few Rapala shot by Jess at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. The post discal bands seem to be a lot darker and more prominent than usual and the orange crown seems to be more of a thin ring, also seen at a mangrove, could it be Rapala cowani?

1.
photo1660103389.jpeg

2.
photo1660103389 (1).jpeg
photo1660103389 (3).jpeg
photo1660103389 (2).jpeg

*All photos taken by Jess Loh

[Psyche]

Post 10.

They are all females of Rapala dieneces. Correction: Rapala cowani females.
2 is more readily identiafiable.
The postdiscal band is orange brown.
The UpF have a copper-brown patch.
Typical females.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...ash_Nelson.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Chng.jpg

1 is taken without a flash & appeared greyer & darker.
Note diffusion of orange into space 3 & 4 is common in R. dieneces.

Another species to look out for is R. scintilla.
This closely resembles R. manea but is grey tinged on the underside.
Male have only the HW upperside blue-shot. In R manea it is both; Females are identical.
It is possible some of the grey R. manea is R. scintilla.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...derside_03.jpg
http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lyc4i/84070001.html


Typical R. manea 2 males, 2 females.
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...lt_male_03.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...lt_male_01.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...20-%20Khew.jpg
http://www.butterflycircle.com/check...-Simon-Sng.jpg


R. cowani is grey with the postdiscal band dark grey.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...et_1939_PT.jpg
Riau Island.
https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.ama...peg?1578494354



TL Seow: Cheers.

[atronox]

The Rapala are female Rapala cowani- the greyish ventral ground colour (from all angles and under different lighting conditions- the orange scales around the tornal black spot contrast strongly with the ground colour; in dieneces and relatives this contrast is weaker because of the ground colour which is already ochreous), visible dark scaling proximal to the post-medians, heavier submarginal markings and cupreous patches on the dorsal side all check out.